The longest single battle in modern military history was the battle of Verdun during World War One. The battle of Verdun lasted 303 days and resulted in over 300,000 causalities! The bravery and commitment required to endure this type of campaign is extraordinary.
The internal battle we face as believers in Jesus Christ is no less intense than Verdun, and for most last a great deal longer than 303 days. It is a daily battle between flesh and spirit, and it rages on for a lifetime. The apostle Paul describes his personal internal battle in Romans 7:14-25 where he agonizes about knowing the right thing to do but struggling to do it. In verse 23 of Romans 7 he describes this conflict as a war.
This conflict was not unique to Paul but is part of daily life for anyone who desires to follow Christ with their life. Some view struggling against the flesh as a sign of weakness. I view it as evidence of salvation and consecration. If you aren’t saved, or don’t care about following Jesus, then there will be no struggle. You’ll simply do what your flesh desires. Paul wasn’t a weak believer and yet he still struggled against his flesh. If you are saved and have committed yourself to following Christ, you are going to do battle against your flesh. That is a given! The question is, how can we fight a good fight against our flesh and emerge victorious?
Galatians 5:24 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” If we are Christ’s, we are to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts. How do believers go about crucifying the flesh? That is the question I hope to answer over the next few blog posts. Continue to check back as we examine what God’s word says about winning this battle.